Luke Buchanan wrote this newsletter on the proposed litigation to raise the height limit for buildings within Washington, DC proper. The litigation attempts to raise the ratio from 1:1 to 1:1.25 between building height and adjacent street width. In other words, a building cannot be taller than the width of the street it is on. These amendments have not been changed, as of date. In Virginia, such construction requirements do not exist, which is why you will find many high-rise apartment complexes and office buildings. https://plus.google.com/+LukeBuchanan

1. Newsletter
The height of D.C.’s buildings have long been regulated by the Height Act of
1910, which limits a building’s height to the width of the street or avenue on which
the property fronts. After analyzing the economic impact of these restrictions, DC’s
Office of Planning (OP) is proposing raising the height limit within the city and
eliminating restrictions outside of Washington proper. The new proposal
recommends increases the building height standards from the current 1:1 ratio to a
1:1.25 ratio, which would allow for 200-foot buildings along some of the city’s
widest boulevards.
The OP estimates that between $62 million and $115 million in additional tax
revenue could be generated over the next 20 years by allowing higher corporate,

2. commerical and residential buildings. They also argue that modifying the Height Act
is necessary to accommodate population growth and increased job numbers, which
they believe will require between 157 million and 317 million additional square feet
by 2040.1 If this proposed change to the Height Act were to take effect, viewsheds
would be established to protect iconic landmarks, leaving views of the Capitol,
White House and Washington Monument unobstructed.
1
http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/tall_buildings_beyond_the_core_dc_releases_
height_act_recommendation/7605?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=Wedne
sday+September+25th%2C+2013&utm_medium=headline